Arresting mechanism for a carrier mounted on a carriage of a flat knitting machine

ABSTRACT

A carrier for the narrowing device of a flat knitting machine moves from a leading position to a trailing position on a carriage when the carrier is arrested while the carriage moves along a needle bed, and a cam arrangement on the carrier and carriage operates the narrowing during the carrier arrest. The arresting mechanism is triggered by a jack butt in the needle bed which tilts an actuating arm on the carriage by abutting engagement, the actuating arm pivoting a toothed stopping arm on the carrier into engagement with a toothed arresting rail on the needle bed.

United States Patent Inventor Erich Krause Bopfingen, Germany Appl. No.856,858

Filed Sept. 10, 1969 Patented Mar. 23, 1971 Assignee UniversalMaschinenfabrik Dr. Rudolf Schieber G.m.b.H. Westhausen, GermanyARRESTING MECHANISM FOR A CARRIER MOUNTED ON A CARRIAGE OF A FLATKNITTING MACHINE 6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 66/76 Int. Cl. D04b 7/10 Field of Search 66/76, 70, i 73 [5 6]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,220,220 1 1/1965 Imon .t 66/76Primary Examiner- Ronald Feldbaum Attorney-Kelman and Berman ABSTRACT: Acarrier for the narrowing device of a flat knitting machine moves from aleading position to a trailing position on a carriagewhen the carrier isarrested while the carriage moves along a needle bed, and a camarrangement on the carrier and carriage operates the narrowing duringthe carrier arrest. The arresting mechanism is triggered by a jack buttin the needle bed which tilts an actuating arm on the carriage byabutting engagement, the actuating arm pivoting a toothed stopping armon the carrier into engagement with a toothed arresting rail on theneedle bed.

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PATENIED m2 3 IHYI w sums 0F 5 FIGS ARRESTING MECHANISM FOR A CARRIERMOUNTED ON A CARRIAGE OF A FLAT KNITTING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to flat knitting machines, andparticularly to an arresting mechanism for arresting a carrier which ismovable between a leading position and a trailing position on a carriagetraveling back and forth along the needle bed during operation of themachine. The carrier moves between these positions relative to thecarriage when arrested during movement of the carriage.

Such an arresting mechanism is needed on flat knitting machines equippedwith a narrowing device which must stand still while transferring loopsof yarns between knitting needles, and it is known to arrange thedevice'on a carrier movably mounted on the knitting carriage or on aseparate narrowing carriage coupled to the knitting carriage. Thenarrowing device must be arrested at a point of the carriage path whichshifts as the width of the knitted fabric increases or decreases duringknitting. When the narrowing operation is completed, the carrier of thenarrowing device mustbe released so that it may continue its movementwith the carriage.

In early arresting mechanisms, needle butts. were'used for stopping thecarrier, but the relatively brittleneedles tended to break under theimpact of the carrier. .Ithas therefore been proposed to arrangeabutments for the carrier of the narrowing'device on threaded spindleswhich extend along the length of the needle bed and are turned to adjustthe arresting point. Such devices are relatively complex, thereforesubject to failure in service and quite costly. Moreover, they interferewith access to the needle beds.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of a single andcompact mechanism for arrestinga carrier for a narrowing device inproper alignment with the needles in a needle bed of a flat knittingmachine so that the ensuing relative motion of the knitting carriage andthe arrested carrier may provide the motive power for the device mountedon the carrier.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION With this object and others in view, as willhereinafter become apparent, the invention provides two engageablearresting members. The first arresting member is mounted on the needlebed directly or by means of the machine frame. The second arrestingmember is mounted on the carrier for movement toward and away from aposition of engagement with the first arresting member. An actuatingmember is movably mounted on the carriage on which the carrier may movebetween a leading and a trailing position. The actuating member ismounted on the carriage in such a manner that it abuttingly engages asuitably positioned butt of a knitting implement on the needle bed, suchas a needle or a jack, and is moved by the engaged butt from an inactiveto an active position during the carriage movement.

A motion-transmitting train connects the actuating member to theaforementioned second arresting member and moves the latter into itsposition of engagement in response to movement of the actuating memberinto its active position. A cam on the carriage disengages the secondfrom the first arresting member when the carrier reaches its trailingposition, and thereby permits the trailing carrier to resume movementwith the carriage.

Other features and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill readily become apparent from the following detailed description ofa preferred embodiment when considered in connection with the appendeddrawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I shows an arresting mechanism ofthe invention and associated elements of an otherwise conventional flatknitting machine in side elevational section on the line H in FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 illustrates the apparatus of FIG. 1 in fragmentary view at rightangles to the plane of a needle bed shown in FIG. 1 but not itselfvisible in FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 shows jacks of the knitting machine and an associated cam in aperspective view;

FIGS. 4 to 6 show the device of FIG. 2 in sequential positions duringmovement of the knitting carriage.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The drawing shows only as muchof an otherwise conventional flat knitting machine as is needed for anunderstanding of this invention which resides mainly in the arrestingmechanism. While this mechanism will be discussed hereinafter in its usefora narrowing device, that device itself, as far as not specificallyillustrated and described, is not a part of this invention and may alsobe conventional, for example, as disclosed in German Pat. No. 653,734,issued to Sadami Imon on Dec. 3, 1937. I

Referring initially to FIG. 1, there is seen one of the two guide railsl of the knitting machine frame on which a nonillustrated knittingcarriage and a partly illustrated narrowing carriage 24 travel whencoupled to each other in a known manner. A carrier box 22 is movablymounted on the carriage 24 and normally travels with the same. When thebox is stopped while the narrowing carriage moves on the rails 1,narrowing implements 35 carried'by the box 22 are operated in a mannernot directly relevant to this invention by nonillustrated cams and camfollowers on the box 22 and the carriage 24. As shown in FIG. 2, the boxis in its leading position on the carriage 24. t

The narrowing implements 35 transfer yarn loops between knitting needles4' in a needle bed 4. The needles are backed in the needle bed 4' bylifting jacksS having respective butts generally indicated by thenumeral 6. The knitting needles are in the active or operating positionwhen lifted by jacks 5 whose butts stand in a row 7. When a needle isretracted to an inactive or inoperative position, the butt 6 of theassociated jack 5 stands in a lower row 8. The jack 5 fully visible inFIG. 1 is positioned to hold the associated latch needle in anintermediate or ready position, and its butt 6 stands on a level 9between the rows 7,8.

The jacks 5 on the intermediate level 9 cooperate with an axialprojection 12 on an actuating arm 11 pivotally mounted on a supportingplate 10 which is a fixed element of the carriage 24. The plate 10 isparallel to the row of needles 4, the arm 11 is mounted on the face ofthe plate 10 remote from the needle bed 4, and the projection 12 extendsthrough an opening of the plate toward the jacks 5.

Before knitting starts,'as many jacks 5 are raised manually tothe activeposition as the width of the fabric to be knitted may require. As isbetter seen in FIG. 3,, a hook 32 projects from the bottom end of eachjack 5 into a recess 33 in a longitudinal edge of an adjacent jackdirectly above the hook 32 of the latter. The length of the recess issuch as to limit the longitudinal spacing of two adjacent jacks to thedistance between the butt levels 7 and 9 or to the distance between thelevels 9 and 8. The last jack raised to the active position on eitherselvage end of a fabric knitted on the needle bed 4 thus causes the buttof the next outer jack to be raised to the intermediate level 9. Thejacks positioned nearer the end of the needle bed 4 are in the activeposition. A backing cam 13 on the supporting plate 10 has the shape of adouble wedge dimensioned and positioned to move between the row 7 ofactive jack butts and the ready jack butt 9 with minimal clearance.

One end of a shaft 17 journaled in the carrier box 22 fixedly carries aradial arm 16 adjacent the plate 10, and the other end of the shaftcarries a stopping or arresting arm 18 equipped with teeth 23. The teethare spaced and shaped for conforming engagement with saw teeth on anarresting rail 2 fixedly mounted on the guide rail 1. The spacing of theteeth on the rail 2 corresponds to one needle spacing in the needle bed4. The arm 18 is provided with an axially projecting pin 20 whosefunction will presently become apparent together with that of a controlbar 25 which is fixedly mounted on a portion of the carriage 24 whichhas been omitted from the drawing for the sake of clarity.

As is shown in FIG. 2, the knitting machine is equipped with anadditional arresting rail 3 attached to the stationary guide rail 1. Therails 2,3 respectively extend from the center of the rail 1 toward thetwo ends of the latter, and their saw teeth are oppositely inclined. Theneedle bed 4 has been omitted from the showing of FIG. 2 together withthe jacks 5 for the sake of clarity, but FIG. 2 shows the row 7 of jackbutts associated with operative needles, the row 8 of jack buttsassociated with inactive needles, and the single butt 9 associated witha needle in the intermediate or ready position.

The free end of the arm 11 has a circularly arcuate cam face 15, and thearm is biased counterclockwise into the inactive position shown in FIG.2, by a helical tension spring 14 attached to the plate 10. A helicaltension spring 19 attached to the carrier box 22 and to thehammer-shaped arm 18 biases the latter, the shaft 17, and the arm 16 ina clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 2, for engagement of a roundedcam face 21 on the arm 18 with the control bar 25 which has an enlargedportion between two obliquely inclined cam faces The teeth 23 on the arm18 are inclined for locking engagement with the teeth of the rail 2, butcannot effectively engage the teeth of the rail 3. An additional shaft30 is journaled in the box 22 and its two ends respectively carry arms28,29 which are mirror images of the aforedescribed arms 16,18, but areaxially offset in a manner not explicitly shown to prevent interferencewith the arm 18 and associated elements. Teeth 23a on the arm 29 areinclined for locking engagement with the teeth of the rail 3. A cam 27is mounted on the portion of the carriage 24 not seen in FIG. 1 forengagement with the projecting pins 20 on the arm 18 during relativemovement of the carrier box 22 and the carriage 24 longitudinally of theneedle bed 4.

The aforedescribed apparatus operates as follows:

As is seen in FIGS. 2, 5 and 6, the spring 14 normally swings the arm 11upward until the top face of the projection 12 abuts against the fixed,wedge-shaped backing cam 13. Obliquely inclined cam faces on the frontand rear ends of the projection 12 cooperate with corresponding camfaces of the cam 13 to lead the butt 9 into a gap which is openedbetween the projection 12 and the cam 13 by the entry of the butt as thebox 22 moves with the carriage 24 in the direction of the arrow from theposition shown in FIG. 2 into that illustrated in FIG. 4. The arm 16which is held in engagement with the cam face of the arm 11 is pivotedcounterclockwise against the restraint of the spring 19 when the butt 9is received between the projection 12 and the cam 13, and its teeth 23lock the carrier box 22 to the stationary frame of the knitting machineby engagement with the teeth of the rail 2, as shown in FIG. 4. Thecarriage 24 with the elements fixedly mounted thereon continues itsmovement along the needle bed 4 together with the nonillustratedknitting carriage and the knitting cams mounted on the latter.

The arresting arm 18 remains locked to the rail 2 after the projection12 and the cam 13 have moved with the carriage 24 beyond the butt 9, andthe spring 14 has again drawn the actuating arm 11 from its activeposition into the inactive position adjacent the cam 13 (FIG. 5). Thesaw teeth 23 on the stopping arm 18 are not readily dislodged from themating teeth of the rail 2 as long as friction between the carrier box22 and the carriage 24 tends to drive the teeth into each other.Moreover, the control bar 25 engages the cam face 21 of the arm 18 andprevents accidental disengagement from the rail 2.

As the cam face 21 reaches the trailing, obliquely inclined cam face 26of the control bar 25 during continued movement of the carriage 24relative to the stopped carrier box 22, the cam 27 engages theprojecting pin on the stopping arm 18, and lifts the teeth 23sufficiently from the teeth of the rail 2 to permit the arm 18 to bereturned to its initial position by the spring 19, as is shown in FIG.6, which illustrates the carrier box 22 in its trailing position on thecarriage 24.

The transfer of loops between needles 4 is performed by the implements35 during the movement of the box 22 between the leading and trailingpositions respectively illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 6. The carriage andcontrol box thereafter travel 5 jointly with the nonillustrated knittingcarriage, and the procedure described above is repeated at the otherselvage of the knitted fabric when the box 22 is again in a leadingposition relative to the narrowing carriage 24 after reversal ofcarriage movement. The box is stopped during the return movement of thecarriage by the teeth 23a on the arm 29 engaging teeth on the rail 3when the arm is swung clockwise from the position shown in FIGS. 2, 4,5, and 6 by a nonillustrated actuating lever and motion-transmittingelements corresponding to those described with reference to the movementof the arm 18.

A cam 31 illustrated in FIG. 3 only and mounted on the plate 10 in amanner not further illustrated shifts the butt 9 into the row 8 afterthe narrowing operation, whereby the last butt from the row 7 is pulledinto position 9 by engagement of a hook 32 with a recess 33 as describedabove.

While the invention has been described with reference to a knittingmachine in which the narrowing implements are mounted on a separatecarriage capable of being coupled to the knitting carriage proper asmaybe needed, the invention is equally applicable .to other arrangementsin which narrowing implements are arranged on a carrier analogous to thebox 22 and mounted on the knitting carriage itself for movement betweenleading and trailing positions on the carriage as the latter is movedback and forth by the nonillustrated machine drive along the needle bed4.

It is normally preferred to rely on jack butts for actuating thearresting mechanism of this invention, but it is evident that the natureof the butt-carrying knitting implements employed is not directlyrelevant to this invention. Needle butts may be utilized in an analogousmanner.

The butts do not absorb the full impact of the carrier which is beingarrested, but mainly cause pivotal displacement of the actuating lever11, a motion which is transmitted to the arresting arm 18 by the camface 15 on the lever 11, the arm 16, and the shaft 17. The arresting arm18 transmits only a minor portion of the forces of impact during arrestof the carrier box 22 to the butt 9 while the butt is being backed bythe cam 13, and thus protected from damage.

The arresting mechanism of the invention is relatively simple andconsists of sturdy parts capable of long useful life. It occupies littlespace and does not obstruct access to the needle beds nor to otherelements of the knitting machine which require relatively frequentinspection and maintenance.

Iclaim:

1. In a flat knitting machine having a frame (I), a needle bed (4) onsaid frame, a carriage (24) movable back and forth on said frame alongsaid needle bed, a multiplicity of knitting elements (40, 5) spacedlyjuxtaposed in said needle bed in the direction of carriage movement andhaving respective butts (6), the implements being movable in said needlebed transversely of said direction toward and away from a ready position(9) of the associated butts, a carrier (22) movable on said carriage insaid direction between a leading position and a trailing position, adevice (35) on said carrier operated in response to movement of saidcarrier between said positions of the same, and an arresting mechanismfor arresting said carrier while in said leading position duringmovement of said carriage until the carrier is shifted from said leadingposition to said trailing position, the improvement in the arrestingmechanism which comprises:

a. a first arresting member (2) on said frame (1);

b. a second arresting member (18) mounted on said carrier (22) formovement toward and away from a position of engagement with said firstarresting member;

c. an actuating member (11) mounted on said carriage 24) for abuttingengagement with one of said butts (9) in said ready position, and formovement by the engaged butt from an inactive to an active positionduring said carriage movement;

d. motion-transmitting means (15,16,17) connecting said actuating memberto said second arresting member for moving the latter into said positionof engagement in response to the movement of said actuating member intosaid active position; and v e. cam means (27) on said carriage formoving said second arresting member away from said position ofengagement when said carrier reaches said trailing position thereof.

2. In a machine as set forth in claim ll, said first arresting memberbeing a toothed rail, the spacing of the teeth on said railcorresponding to the spacing of said'knitting implements, and saidsecond arresting member carrying teeth (23) matingly engaging the teethof said rail in said position of engagement.

- pivotally mounted on said carrier and said carriage.

5. In a machine .as set forthin claim 1, backing means (13) on saidcarriage for preventing movement of the associated knitting implement(5) transverse to said direction when said one butt (9) in the readyposition is abuttingly engaged by said actuating member.

6. In a machine asset forth in claim 5, yieldably resilient means (14)biasing said actuating member from said active toward said inactiveposition, and control means (25) mounted on said carriage (24) forretaining said second arresting member in said position of engagementafter movement of said actuating member from said active toward saidinactive position, and for releasing said second arresting member whensaid carrier (22) approaches said trailing position. i

1. In a flat knitting machine having a frame (1), a needle bed (4) onsaid frame, a carriage (24) movable back and forth on said frame alongsaid needle bed, a multiplicity of knitting elements (4a, 5) spacedlyjuxtaposed in said needle bed in the direction of carriage movement andhaving respective butts (6), the implements being movable in said needlebed transversely of said direction toward and away from a ready position(9) of the associated butts, a carrier (22) movable on said carriage insaid direction between a leading position and a trailing position, adevice (35) on said carrier operated in response to movement of saidcarrier between said positions of the same, and an arresting mechanismfor arresting said carrier while in said leading position duringmovement of said carriage until the carrier is shifted from said leadingposition to said trailing position, the improvement in the arrestingmechanism which comprises: a. a first arresting member (2) on said frame(1); b. a second arresting member (18) mounted on said carrier (22) formovement toward and away from a position of engagement with said firstarresting member; c. an actuating member (11) mounted on said carriage(24) for abutting engagement with one of said butts (9) in said readyposition, and for movement by the engaged butt from an inactive to anactive position during said carriage movement; d. motion-transmittingmeans (15,16,17) connecting said actuating member to said secondarresting member for moving the latter into said position of engagementin response to the movement of said actuating member into said activeposition; and e. cam means (27) on said carriage for moving said secondarresting member away from said position of engagement when said carrierreaches said trailing position thereof.
 2. In a machine as set forth inclaim 1, said first arresting member being a toothed rail, the spacingof the teeth on said rail corresponding to the spacing of said knittingimplements, and said second arresting member carrying teeth (23)matingly engaging the teeth of said rail in said position of engagement.3. In a machine as set forth in claim 1, said implements including aplurality of knitting needles (4a) and a plurality of jacks (5), saidneedles and jacks being elongated, and each jack carrying one of saidbutts and being longitudinally juxtaposed to a respective knittingneedle.
 4. In a machine as set forth in claim 1, said second arrestingmember and said actuating member being respectively pivotally mounted onsaid carrier and said carriage.
 5. In a machine as set forth in claim 1,backing means (13) on said carriage for preventing movement of theassociated knitting implement (5) transverse to said direction when saidone butt (9) in the ready position is abuttingly engaged by saidactuating member.
 6. In a machine as set forth in claim 5, yieldablyresilient means (14) biasing said actuating member from said activetoward said inactive position, and control means (25) mounted on saidcarriage (24) for retaining said second arresting member in saidposition of engagement after movement of said actuating member from saidactive toward said inactive position, and for releasing said secondarresting member when said carrier (22) approaches said trailingposition.